pete_jim Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Went to the one in Norwich, very disappointing just like most 'chain' restaurants, ie Zizzi's (appalling), Caffe Uno (OK), Cafe Rouge (I'd rather stay at home), and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdanny Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Chain restaurant = bad restaurant??? Thats another debate and thread. ... it's opening up at the Hanrahans / Bar Exchange site (p.s. - don't go tellin everyone!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 It's opening in the old Hanrahans building opposite the Hallamshire hospital on Glossop Road. Is it that special though, it's a chain owned by a brewery. Upmarket Ember Inn? "Greene King, the brewer and pub operator, is expected to announce today its first move into restaurants through the £70 million acquisition of Loch Fyne Restaurants (LFR), the seafood chain spawned by the eponymous Scottish oyster farm. The company, which admitted last month that it was in exclusive talks with LFR, is acquiring a business with 36 restaurants throughout Britain and a pipeline of a further half-dozen or so sites, including one in Edinburgh. About a quarter of LFR’s restaurants are former pubs in edge-of-town locations and Greene King is believed to have identified at least 20 within its estate that would be suitable for conversion to the Loch Fyne brand. The purchase comes as pub companies are moving increasingly into food as a way of mitigating the impact of the smoking ban on drink sales." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdanny Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 that news is old hat mate. There is not reason why a chain restaurant is better on not better than an individual site. Why the perception of chain restaurants so bad.... they must have something going for them if they CAN be a chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 that news is old hat mate. There is not reason why a chain restaurant is better on not better than an individual site. Why the perception of chain restaurants so bad.... they must have something going for them if they CAN be a chain. I suppose they have economies of scale and a winning populist format. However, you won't find a chain restaurant with a Michelin star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsty123 Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 Can't wait to visit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted January 18, 2008 Share Posted January 18, 2008 They are still advertising for General Manager & Head Chef, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_jim Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 that news is old hat mate. There is not reason why a chain restaurant is better on not better than an individual site. Why the perception of chain restaurants so bad.... they must have something going for them if they CAN be a chain. We should set up another thread. You of all people should know that chain restaurants are almost always run by bean counters and make their money through standardised portions and central purchasing combined with recipes that require the lowest skills level they can get away with. This formula together with an acceptance of the 'average' in terms of standards of food and service by the public is what makes them a success. It doesn't, IMO make them a good restaurant. Increasingly people I speak to who are interested in food are going to somewhere really fabulous 2 or 3 times a year and either cheap and cheerful the rest of the time or cooking at home. I could spend a tenner on ingredients from Waitrose and cook the pants off most 'chefs' from a chain restaurant, and that is what I choose to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chinaski Posted January 19, 2008 Share Posted January 19, 2008 Loch Fyne sounds great and the menu sounds very appealing - then you look at the reviews (london-eating, etc) and they're uniformally bad. What's worse, the problem seems very much "chain" like, i.e - poor staff, items missing from the platters. I'll look forward to trying it but my sentiments are with Jim, I can get really good ingrediants from Waitrose (there Hereford steakes are fantastic) and cook them better at home. I pretty much stick to Noodle Inn once or twice a week and leave it at that. Very few restaurants are doing anything interesting in Sheffield (aside from Jabu). In fact, the whole food scene is pretty tedious in Sheffield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossdog Posted January 20, 2008 Share Posted January 20, 2008 Loch Fyne sounds great and the menu sounds very appealing - then you look at the reviews (london-eating, etc) and they're uniformally bad. What's worse, the problem seems very much "chain" like, i.e - poor staff, items missing from the platters. I'll look forward to trying it but my sentiments are with Jim, I can get really good ingrediants from Waitrose (there Hereford steakes are fantastic) and cook them better at home. I pretty much stick to Noodle Inn once or twice a week and leave it at that. Very few restaurants are doing anything interesting in Sheffield (aside from Jabu). In fact, the whole food scene is pretty tedious in Sheffield.Well we have been to Loch Fyne restaurants on numerous occassions, and found them excellent.It remains to be seen now the owners have sold out to the Greene King group,whether they can maintain their standards! I still think they will be an great addition to the Sheffield eating scene,if only to put some of the flagging existing eateries on their toes! I am afraid on our first visit,it was not up to the standard of other Loch Fynes we have visited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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